I’m sitting here drinking my coffee and looking around my house thinking maybe I should get my act together before winter hits. Summer was fun but it definitely left its mark. There’s sand in weird places from beach trips, the kids tracked mud through half the house during that rainy week in August, and somewhere along the way my dining room table became a permanent home for mail and random stuff.
My grandmother used to do this massive fall cleaning every year. She’d move furniture, wash walls, the whole nine yards. That woman had energy I’ll never have. I tried doing it her way once and ended up calling for pizza because I was too tired to cook after cleaning for 8 hours straight.
These days I’ve learned to work smarter, not harder. Because honestly, who has time for marathon cleaning sessions? I’ve got soccer practice, work deadlines, and I still haven’t figured out what my daughter’s going to be for Halloween.
Deep Cleaning Should Be Done Before The Cold Sets In
Why I Bother With This At All
A couple years back I completely skipped fall cleaning. Figured I’d deal with it later. Big mistake. By December my house felt gross and I couldn’t find anything. I spent twenty minutes looking for my good winter coat only to find it buried under a pile of beach towels in the hall closet.
My neighbor Sarah mentioned something that made sense. She said once you’re stuck inside all winter, you really notice every messy corner and dusty surface. Summer’s different – if something’s cluttered inside, you just go sit on the deck. Winter doesn’t give you that escape route.
Plus there’s something nice about having a clean house when the holidays roll around. Last year my in-laws showed up unexpectedly and I spent the whole visit apologizing for the mess.
How I Actually Get Stuff Done
I do one room and call it a day. That’s my whole strategy. Maybe tomorrow I’ll do another room, maybe I won’t. Depends on what else is happening.
My friend Lisa does 10 minutes every morning before her shower. Another friend tackles everything on Sundays while her husband watches football. Find what works for your life and stick with it.
The key is not making it this huge overwhelming project. Just make one space better than it was yesterday.
Where I Usually Start
Kitchen
This room gets hammered once cold weather starts. More cooking, more coffee, more standing around making hot chocolate for kids who’ve been outside for exactly five minutes.
I always start with the fridge. Usually find leftover Chinese food from who knows when and lettuce that’s turned into science experiments. Gross but necessary. Once I clear out the old stuff and wipe down the shelves, suddenly there’s room for actual groceries.
The pantry’s usually a disaster too. Random cans everywhere, three different boxes of pasta because I keep forgetting I already have some. I just toss expired stuff and try to group things together. Nothing fancy.
Oh, and clean your oven if you’re planning to do any holiday baking. Trust me on this one. Smoke alarms going off during Thanksgiving prep is not fun for anyone.
Living Room
This is where everyone’s going to camp out once it gets cold. Might as well make it comfortable.
I start by dealing with all the stuff that’s accumulated on surfaces. Mail, sunglasses we don’t need anymore, that stack of magazines that keeps growing. Everything needs an actual home or it needs to go.
Vacuum the couch cushions. You’ll be amazed what’s living down there. I found enough change to buy lunch and some truly disturbing crumbs last time I did this.
If you have carpets, get them cleaned before heating season starts. All that summer dirt gets blown around once the heat kicks on.
Bedrooms
The clothing swap is the big thing here. Summer stuff goes away, winter stuff comes out.
This is when I’m brutally honest about what I actually wear. That sweater I bought last year and never wore? It’s not magically going to become my favorite this year. Time to donate it.
I also switch to flannel sheets and get out the heavy comforters. There’s something really satisfying about making your bed with cozy winter bedding when it’s getting chilly outside.
Tricks That Actually Work
Timer Method
I set my phone for 20 minutes and work until it beeps. Then I’m done, even if the room’s not perfect. This keeps me from getting burnt out and makes it easier to start tomorrow.
Sometimes I keep going if I’m on a roll, but knowing I only have to commit to 20 minutes makes it way less intimidating to begin.
One Room Rule
I used to bounce around trying to clean multiple rooms at once. Always ended up with a bunch of half-finished spaces and felt like I hadn’t accomplished anything. Now I pick one room and finish it completely before moving on.
Way more satisfying to have one really clean room than three sort-of-clean ones.
Family Involvement
Everyone who lives here can help maintain it. Even my 6-year-old can put away toys and sort socks. I just had to stop expecting people to read my mind about what needed doing.
My husband’s actually pretty helpful if I give him specific tasks. Turns out “help me clean” doesn’t work but “can you vacuum the stairs” does.
Making It Bearable
Music is everything. I made a playlist specifically for cleaning and it actually makes the whole thing tolerable. Sometimes I even dance while I’m dusting, which my kids think is hilarious.
I also don’t try to do this when I’m already exhausted. Learned that lesson the hard way. Pick a time when you have some energy, even if it’s just 15 minutes.
And I celebrate small wins. After I finished the kitchen last week, I made myself a really good cup of coffee and sat at my newly clean counter to enjoy it. Felt pretty great.
The Real Talk
My house is never going to be Instagram perfect. We actually live here. There are fingerprints on the windows, dog hair on everything, and at least three coffee mugs scattered around at any given time.
But there’s a huge difference between lived-in and chaotic. I’m not trying to impress anyone or win any awards. I just want a comfortable space where my family can relax during the months when we’re stuck inside.
Some rooms get more attention than others. Some projects wait until I have more time or motivation. That’s normal life.
Just Pick Something
The hardest part is starting. Right now, look around and pick whatever’s bugging you most. Spend 15 minutes there. Don’t worry about finishing everything or doing it perfectly.
Maybe it’s clearing off that chair where clothes go to die. Maybe it’s finally dealing with that pile of papers on the counter. Doesn’t matter what it is, just pick something and start.
Your house doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to work for your family. And getting a little head start now means you can actually enjoy being cozy inside when the weather turns cold instead of feeling stressed about everything you should be doing.
Start small, be consistent when you can, and give yourself credit for whatever you manage to accomplish. That’s really all there is to it. And if it’s still too much, you can always call Radiant Cleaning and we will take care of it all for you!